Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says his players must be prepared to “suffer” in the sweltering Florida heat as they face Juventus in their final Club World Cup Group G match on Thursday.
Both sides have secured their places in the last 16 with two wins each, but top spot is still on the line. Kick-off is set for 3pm local time at Camping World Stadium, where temperatures are expected to hit 33°C (91°F).
“I’m making the selection tomorrow thinking about the second half because in these conditions we can’t play at our rhythm,” said Guardiola. “All the teams have to handle it. It is what it is. For the next World Cup, people will know [about] it already, but we have to be ready to suffer. My advice to people is to bring water, hats and towels.”
Guardiola will be without Rico Lewis (suspended) and Claudio Echeverri (ankle injury) for the clash. The City boss has been rotating his squad throughout the tournament and says maintaining balance is key after a long season.
Addressing a viral video of him playing beach football with players near the team’s Boca Raton base, Guardiola explained it was all part of mental recovery:
“The end of the season was so demanding emotionally. I decided we’d do good training but let the players relax the rest of the day… Some went to national teams and didn’t have days off. It’s maintaining fitness and relaxing. We have 11 months ahead.”
Meanwhile, Juventus boss Igor Tudor confirmed he may tweak his starting line-up but stressed the focus remains on victory—especially with a potential last-16 clash against Real Madrid looming for the second-placed team.
“We will definitely change something, but we want to play a serious game and win,” Tudor said. “Manchester City are a team that has dominated for years, led by the best coach in the world. It will be a game in which we give everything.”
